As We Knew It
by Unity of Moon and Sun
Summary: The World as we know it...is gone. All that's left are the people who remember it...and those who wish to destroy them.  /Gore, Character Deaths, Multiple pairings/
1. Holed Up

**Disclaimer: I'm just sittin' here...not owning Vocaloid...but I _am_ eatin' your cupcakes**

* * *

"Hurry!"

Len quickly ushered the others into the house, slamming the doors shut as soon as the last person was inside. Kaito and Gakupo hurried to help the young man stack things in front of the door, while Luka and Meiko were sent to search for a back door, and any open windows that needed to be boarded up. The boys placed everything they could in front of the door. Bookshelf, chairs, tables, boards, mirrors, cabinets, and a dresser from one of the bedrooms. By the time they were finished, Meiko returned into the front room, having discovered no back door, but several windows that were still in the process of being boarded up. Gumi and Kaito went to help, leaving Len, Rin, Miki, and Gakupo in the front hall.

"Will that hold?" Rin asked her brother after a long moment. The girl was exhausted, having been running all day long. Her white tank top, and blue shorts were dirty, and ripped. Splotched with black, and brown dirt, and a few spots of dried blood. Her face and the rest of her skin were in much the same state, the dirt and blood smeared since she had tried to wipe it from her face. Even her snow-white ribbon hadn't been immune from a few drops of the crimson liquid.

The others looked about the same.

Len toyed with the metal, blood smeared bat in his palms before looking over the work on the front door.

"It should. We're only staying a night...maybe two." He answered finally.

"This house still has running water!" Miku called from somewhere in the large house. At the news, the girls were instantly relieved, more than willing to take a cold shower over no shower at all.

"There's food in here too. No one's stolen anything from it yet!" came Luka's voice from the kitchen. The blonde male took a deep breath, slowly closing his azure orbs. Rin gently smiled before placing a hand on his shoulder. He cracked open one eye, and chuckled with no humor.

"How am I doing?" He asked with a sigh.

"Pretty damn good for a leader if you ask me." Rin replied.

"Figures with all these adults around we'd have to be the ones who take charge."

"They're scared...it's understandable."

"Well hell so am I. One of them almost got you today...Scared the hell outta me."

"Yeah, but thanks to Miki, it didn't. Relax...we'll get through this.."

"We just have to wait it out...Until the army get's off their asses and does something...Let's look around and see if we can find some clean clothes." Len threaded his fingers through his dirty hair as he spoke.

Meanwhile, a certain teal-haired female was enjoying her discovery of running water. She was bent over the sink, pooling cool water in her hands and splashing it against her face. The sink was quickly filling with murky water as her face became cleaner. Once she was satisfied, she reached for a face-towel she had left on the side of the sink and dryed the water droplettes from her face. She smiled at her reflection, happy to once again see the soft, pale skin that awaited beneath all the muck and grime. A face that had once been on posters, and a single CD cover. A face that everyone had recognized.

Miku gave a short gasp as the shower curtains in the mirror behind her reflection quivered. The towel dropped to the floor and a rusted, lead pipe quickly replaced it in her hands. Fear was evident on her face, as well as her shaking limbs, her white and torn sundress shaking along with her. Her breaths came in short puffs, and shaky as she willed her right foot to take a slow step forward. Then the left. The right. Mid-step, and freeze. The curtains shook again, and a slight friction of something against the porcelain of the tub was heard. Miku gripped the pipe in her hands, as she moved forward once more. Her heart rammed inside her chest as she reached out one hand to grasp the curtain. If it wouldn't alert the danger, she would have called for help at this point. The room was deathly quiet, save for the shaky breaths of the girl. It's as if all that were important in the world was her...and whatever waited behind the curtain.

With one final breath, Miku raised the pipe in her hand, and flung the curtain open with the other, releasing a loud grunt, readying herself for attack.

What greeted her was the soft mewl of a fluffy gray cat that sat at the bottom of the empty tub. It swished its bushy tail back and forth as Miku released a releif filled breath.

"Only a cat..." She laughed, placing her palm to her forhead. "Only a cat..." She set the pipe against the tub, and reached inside to pick up the cat in her arms. The animal purred, nuzzling against the girl's neck affectionately as she petted it.

"Did your owners leave you here all by yourself?" She spoke gently, recieving a soft mew from the kitty. As it's emerald green eyes opened, it's diamond shape pupils dialated. It began to struggle to be put down, hissing. Miku let the cat drop, letting it skitter off into the hallway. She thought it was odd...until she felt arms wrap around her from behind.

She let out a shriek, alerting everyone in the house, who were instantly on their way to her. What they would find would be the tealette fighting off a decayed and bloodied up re-animated corpse. It was desperatly trying to latch it's jaws onto her flesh, but she was holding him off well enough. Kaito got to the door first, and he raised the shotgun in his hands and froze.

"What are you waiting for? Shoot it!" Miki shouted.

"I can't! I might hit Miku!" Kaito shouted back, still aiming the gun toward the fighting bodies.

"Help! I can't-!" Miku cried, pushing the things face away from her. It looked as if it was too strong for her.

"Kaito! Shoot it! Shoot it! It's gonna kill her!"

"But-!"

"Kaito! JUST DO IT!" Miku sent an angry look toward the bluenette. Kaito fumbled with gun torn between possibly saving and possibly killing his friend.

"KAITO!"

With a scream of agrivation, Kaito pulled the trigger on the shotgun, sending a loud bang throughout the building. The monster holding Miku in it's arms suddenly fell to the ground, limp, with a hole through its skull. Miku quickly darted away from it, running into Miki's arms and sobbing.

"Looks like it was hiding in the closet..." Kaito mumbled as he cocked the shotgun. Miki nodded.

"Is everyone alright?" Len shouted from the second floor.

"All good!" Kaito called back, ushering the girls into the living room. He hoped to drag the corpse out of the room and stuff in the basement so no one would feel awkward while taking a bath later on.

And to think...this all started with a birthday party almost a week ago.

* * *

**An- Can you guess what's happening yet? You should be able to...But don't tell the other's. Better let them figure it out for themselves. Next chapter make make it a little clearer for ya xD**

**I'VE GOT TO STOP WRITING NEW STORIES BEFORE I FINISH OTHER ONES RAWR.**


	2. Beginning of the End

**One Week Earlier...  
**

A gentle breeze moved swiftly through the trees, the living creatures appreciating the moment of cool air in the late afternoon sunlight. It would be Fall soon enough, and it would bring the winds that everyone in the park this day were wishing for, but for now the summer air was thick, and hot, and filled with the cheerful sounds of children playing. Screams of joy, laughs, singing, and jumprope chants were all one ever heard in the park. The singing on this day coming mostly from a group located under a clutch of willow trees. They were all gathered around a large picnic table (that had been created by putting smaller tables next to each other) that was loaded on with chips, dips, ice creams, sodas, sushis, vegetables, fruits, and one large cake with several burning candles coming out of it.

A birthday cake. For one teal haired teen who waited excitedly as her group of friends sang her a happy birthday. Everyone that she had wanted to be there had come. Shion Kaito and Sakine Meiko, two previous attendants of her high school who had graduated the year before. Megpoid Gumi, Furukawa Miki, Akita Neru, and Kaai Yuki who were all friends from school. Little Yuki was still in elementary school, but she would visit Miku often as they had grown close during the time Miku had tutored her. Kagamine Rin and Len who were a year younger, and might as well have been her siblings. Megurine Luka, a young woman who had adopted Miku, Rin, and Len into her home after finding them on the street long ago, and Luka's boyfriend Kamui Gakupo.

When the group had finished singing, Miku took a breath and blew out the candles on her 17th birthday cake.

"Can we eat it now?" Yuki asked brightly as Kaito reached for a large knife. He ruffled her hair a bit with a laugh and plunged the knife into the cake.

"Having fun, Miku-chan?" Luka asked her adopted little sister as she offered her a cup of soda. Miku took it with a smile and nodded.

"I always have fun when everyone's together! I told you I didn't need a big party, didn't I?" The tealette gave her care giver a smirk which didn't go unnoticed.

"Yeah, yeah. You're worth it anyway."

"No way! You already spent too much on my present!"

"What? That recording contract? PSH. I have my connections."

"Are they your connections, or are they your boyfriend's?"

"...That doesn't matter," Luka said quickly, waving her hand, "What matters is that your CD is already hitting it big. It's only been a few months and everyone's clawing to get close to the beautiful, and talented Miku Hatsune." Miku blushed with a laugh at these words and took a long sip from her drink.

Meanwhile the twins and Yuki were busy playing a game of keepaway with their favourite blue haired idiot. They had snatched his beloved blue muffler away from him, and were currently trying to see how long they could keep him jumping around for it. It was currently in Len's posssession, and he was running half-way across the stretch of grass with the whining adult following behind.

"C'mon you guys! Give it back! This isn't funny!"

Len only laughed and tossed the rolled up cloth right over Kaito's head and right into the waiting hands of his sister. Rin grinned with a mischievious glint in her azure eyes and took off the in the opposite direction. She was the fastest out of the whole group and Kaito knew instantly he wouldn't be able to catch her. But again...he's an idiot.

"Rinny! C'mon! Come back!" He shouted, chasing after her. The blonde dashed on, giggling evily as she headed toward her destination. Yuki. The little one waited, bouncing up and down and waving her hands in the air. Once Rin reached her, she quickly handed the muffler over to her, and whispered something to her, to which Yuki nodded.

Kaito skidded to a halt as he stared down both females before him. Both of them were smiling and held their hands behind their backs. He slowly raised one brow.

"Which one of you has it?" He asked. They pointed to each other.

"Seriously." No response. Kaito placed his hands on his hips and glared at the two lolitas. They both grew evil grins on their faces. Rin had given Yuki the plan to stuff the muffler into her over-alls, forcing Kaito to give up least he look like some weird pedobear, and the raven haired child was all ready to follow through, until she spotted someone out of the corner of her eyes. She turned to look at a figure who was heading (a little clumsily) in their direction. The figure was of one male named Kiyoteru Hiyama, dressed in his usual black suit and blue tie. He was Yuki's teacher, and someone of special importance to the little girl. He was more like her babysitter than anything.

Excited at seeing the older man, Yuki, much to Rin and Len's dismay, forked over Kaito's muffler and instead skipped merrily in the direction of her caretaker. Kaito stuck his tounge out at Rin, who in turn stepped on his foot and snatched the muffler away once more. She took off without hesitation, Len following close behind.

"Kiyoteru-sensei~" Yuki greeted as she neared him. She recieved no reply, but the man stopped in his tracks as she approached, his brown bangs shadowing his eyes. Taking no notice of this strange behavior, Yuki wrapped her thin arms around his legs in a hug, giggling happily.

"I knew you'd show up, sooner or later! You went to visit your mother's grave today didn't you? How did that go?" Again the girl got no response from her teacher. She stared up at him, puzzledly.

"Sensei?" She called out to him, wondering if maybe something was wrong with him. Instead of the reply she wanted, her shoulders were suddenly clamped tightly in his hands, and he slowly lifted her off the ground.

"Stop it! That hurts! Put me down!" Yuki cried, struggling in his grasp. Again, the man ignored her, and instead continued to rise her higher off the ground, until they were at eye level. This is when Yuki figured out that this man...wasn't Kiyoteru-sensei. It looked like him, even smelled like him, but something had happened to him. Kiyoteru-sensei...no longer resided inside this body.

The skin of his face was a sickly white, the corners of his split lips drooped as his jaw dropped. His eyes were...dazed...unfocused...or for lack of better words...dead. It was like he didn't even see the girl he held. It was also from this angle, that Yuki could see a large chunk of the man's neck was..gone. Blood had soaked his shoulder, but it seemed that now the bleeding had stopped for some time.

Yuki instantly gained an expression of pure terror as she continued to struggle to be set free. By now she had caused a a bit of scene, and the others were beginning to watch. Gakupo and Kaito sent a wary look at each other before nodding. Without hesitation, they began to head toward the two. The way they saw it, they were the men here. They couldn't just let Kiyoteru do...whatever he was doing if Yuki didn't want him to.

That's when the brunnette male suddenly tightened his grip on the girl, and in one swift motion, sank his teeth into little Yuki's shoulder. Everyone was shocked, to say the least. Yuki cried out in pain as her skin was broken and blood began to ooze from between the man's teeth. With her free head she shoved on his shoulder, trying with no avail to push him away. It seemed he was tearing right through the denim of her over-alls and the cloth of her shirt, his jaw getting closer and closer to closing completely around the chunk of bloodied and bruised flesh. He only released his victim when Gakupo delivered a swift kick from behind. Yuki was thrown from his grasp, and as she landed she screamed in pain as her injured shoulder hit the ground. Miku rushed forward, snatching up the girl in her arms and carrying her to saftey.

At this point several other people in the park were reacting to the attack, grabbing their children, pets, belongings, ect. and running away as fast as possible. Only to meet with several other shambling individuals who were in much the same state as the brunette sensei. There wasn't many of them. Perhaps five or six total. But numbers didn't matter when the people who were headed right for them were suddenly snatched up and taken a bite out of, just like Yuki. There was mass chaos as mother's tried to rescue captured children, and pets tried to protect their masters, or as people tried to get their cars started before the gang of moaning individuals could surround the vehicle.

"W-what's going on?" Miku mumbled as she tightened her hold on the young one in her arms. Yuki shook, whimpering in her agony, as she opened her hazel eyes to peer at Miku. She gripped onto the tealette's arm, grabbing her attention.

"That isn't Kiyoteru-sensei..." She said, causing Miku to raise a brow.

"What makes you say that? It definitely looks like him." Her emerald orbs turned back to the three men. Kaito had Kiyoteru pinned face-down on the ground. Even so he was still trying to take a bite out of anyone close enough. Yuki's blood still dripped down his lips, and the left lens of his glasses was cracked.

"Hiyama! Cut it out, man, what's wrong with you?" Kaito was shouting, as he struggled to hold the man beneath him still.

"I just know," Yuki said as she followed Miku's gaze, "His eyes...they were different...They were...dead." Miku stared down at the little girl, and she stared back.

"C'mon. We've gotta get Yuki-chan something to stop the bleeding." Luka said finally, pushing Miku along toward their car. Meiko, Miki, Neru, and Gumi stayed behind while Luka, Miku, Rin, Len and Yuki were loaded into Luka's SUV. As she revved the engine the radio, which would normally be playing some pop song (or even one of Miku's releases), kicked onto a news broadcast.

Rin instantly switched it off. Now wasn't the time to debate over whatever the news was going on about. Besides, if it had anything to do with what happened in the park, there was no need to alarm the younger one.

"Where should we go? The hospital?" Len questioned, as Luka concentrated on the roas ahead.

"That's what I was thinking, but look." Rin pointed out at least eight ambulances driving down the road, each turning off at a different street, their sirens blaring.

"You think it's all full?"

"Maybe. We should just go home," Miku said finally, "We still have a lot of medical supplies saved up. Good thing Rin and Len are insanely danger prone." The twins looked to the tealette, then each other, and shrugged. The two of them were indeed attracted to the sense of adventure, and danger and in that sense aquired a new injury or illness almost every week. So for that reason, Luka kept everthing they may need like bandaids, wraps, medical alchohol, splints, crutches, everything short of a make-shift doctors office.

"I think we may have to.." Luka sighed, watching as another ambulance went zooming past.

"What in the world is going on?" Miku whispered as she watched it turn off into a neighborhood from where several people were running, and screaming. Gun shots could be heard in the distance.

* * *

"She has a fever..."

"I still can't get a hold of her parents. They're not picking up."

"The others are coming over to check on Yuki."

The two story house was bustling with movement as Luka tried to call the little girl's parents, Miku treated her wounds, Rin was busy in the kitchen, and Len brought Miku the supplies she asked for. Luka clicked her tongue as she once again waited through a ringing tone until it clicked to voicemail. No one was picking up. Their work, their home, their cells. The young girl's parents seemed to have gone off the face of the earth.

And Yuki...She rested on the couch, her shoulder bandaged as best as Miku could give her, and covered with salve and alchohol to prevent infection. Miku had given her something to help the pain, but now she was shivering and building one hell of a fever. Taking the thermometer from her mouth Miku read "103."

_One hundred and three? Why? Is it because the bite got infected? It was only a few hours ago..._Miku's thoughts roamed, trying to search for the reason for her friend's discomfort.

"Miku-neechan...I don't...feel good..." Yuki said in an out of breath fashion. Even when changed into one of Rin's night gowns she was sweating, her cheeks red and forhead burning.

"It's ok Yuki-chan...Rin's making you something to eat, and I'll get something to bring your fever down." Miku replied, pushing Yuki's hair from her sweaty face. As if on cue, Len returned with a bowl of cool water and a wash cloth. Miku took the cloth, rung it out, and placed it over the sick girl's forehead.

"You find any?" Miku asked, inquiring about some medicine. Len shook his head.

"We're out. Used it up when my cut got infected last month."

"Great..." With that, Len threw himself into the recliner adjacent to the couch and flipped on the television. He wasn't really all that worried about anything. Sure, Yuki had a slight fever, but it was only from infection. Just like his, it would go away soon. And then they could try and locate the ever absent parents.

The first thing that switched on the TV was a news report, and like all teenagers...Len didn't care. He flipped the channel only to find the same news broadcast. What the hell? He flipped again. Same thing. Oook this better be damn important. Len, defeated, put down the remote after turning up the volume.

"..._completely wrong. This isn't something people can control. They're everywhere. There have been rumors of a traveling family of cannibals, but most believe this is truely their worst nightmare. The grounds are broken at the local cemetaries...people with rotted flesh are walking around...I...This just can't be happening..."_

"M'kay...someone's having a mental breakdown.." Len commented as he watched the news reporter thread his fingers through his receeding hair. The man then passed on to a live feed of a feild reporter out in the city. She looked to be standing on top of her news van.

_"People listening to this broadcast! Please get inside your homes! Lock your doors! Board your windows! These things aren't human! They're just grabbing everyone and...oh God...The hospitals are full so if you are bitten, please use home treatments. The police are scouting the area," _as if to back up her claims, gunshots were heard in the background followed by screaming, "_and trying to gun down whatever these things are. I repeat: Do. Not. Try. The. Hospital. Stay inside!"_

_"You're being fucking ridiculous, you know that?" _The camera man said.

_"Ridiculous? Look around you for God's sake!"_

_"I am...All I see is one tiny group of people who are screwed up in the head. That's it. And the police are just gunning them down?"_

_"I saw these things...they are not human..."_

_"I just think that-" _

The man was cut off, and Len watched in growing horror as the camera's view began to tilt. The people on top began to scream as the vehicle beneath them wobbled and shook. As the camera pointed down, it caught several of the 'screwed up people' moaning and trying to tip over the news van. After a few seconds, they succeeded. The woman fell to the concrete...hard...with a sickening 'crack' sound. The camera man tumbled down on his back, keeping the camera safley in front of him. Once they were on the ground the 'screwed up' people limped, and shambled toward the two, surrounding them.

_"No! You stay back! You hear me? Stay away!" _But even as he said this, his voice broke in his fear. As one of the 'screwed up' people advanced, it reached out and grabbed the man, the camera getting full blast of it's rotted face, and cold eyes. The man screamed and dropped the camera, where it remained on it's side, facing some other direction. The only visible motion were that of the 'screwed up' people's feet as they moved in. The screaming of the reporter and her camera man rang clear, followed by horrible squishing, snapping, and smacking sounds. The view then switched back to the news desk, where the anchor watched the screen in total shock, just as Len and Miku did.

Then the anchorman fainted. Fell right out of his big fancy chair and hit the ground, hard. Several producers were seen rushing forward before the TV cut to a test screen, the loud, constant beep ringing.

Len and Miku slowly closed their gaping mouths, both utterly disturbed by what they had just seen. Len turned to Yuki, still shivering and moaning in pain, and then to Miku, who's face was drained of any colour. She looked back, and as their eyes met, their panic rose in unison. Miku's brows came together as she took a short, shaky breath and muttered for the third time that day:

"W-w-what in the world is going on?"

* * *

**AN- Why do I love writing horror so much? Oh yeah...'CAUSE IT'S AMAZING!..the horror I mean, not my writing. My writing sucks. 8D**

**Anywho~ You know the drill~**


	3. Race from Death

Rin watched the ticking clock closely. Counting each time she could hear the faint 'tick...tick...tick.' Beside her on the stove was a pot of soup she was making for Yuki, and on the other side, resting on the black marble island counter, was the remnants of chopped ingredients she had put into it. Without thinking about it, or taking her eyes off the clock, she picked up a piece of chopped celery and put it in her mouth. In the hallway, adjacent to the kitchen, she could hear Luka cursing under her breath as she once again tried to phone the little girl's parents.

It was strange. Yuki's parents would always pick up their cellphones. Yuki's parents held their daughter in high regard. Yuki's parent's looked out for their daughter's future. Yuki's parents kept their daughter well taken care of. Yuki's parents only sent their daughter to the best schools. Yuki's parents bought their daughter the nicest clothes...Yuki's parent's loved their daughter.

Rin sighed and took another piece of celery into her mouth, enjoying the crunch it made between her teeth. Finally the clock had reached enough ticks for Rin's liking. She turned to the stove, stirring the bubbling liquid a few times before turning the dial to 'off' on the burner. She opened a drawer to her left and pulled out a large, plastic ladel, and dipped it into the soup and poured the resulting contents into a small glass bowl. Once a lid was firmly on the pot, Rin grabbed a napkin, and a spoon, and carried everything into the living room.

"Yuki-chan, are you hungry?" She asked gently, setting the bowl of soup onto the coffee table. The heavily breathing child opened her amber eyes and looked up at Rin with a smile.

"A...little." She answered. With Miku's help, she sat up and placed the bowl onto her lap. The girl began to eat, slow and small spoonfulls of the liquid, blowing on it several times before putting it in her mouth. It looked like this was working on her fever a little.

"Hey, Rin? Can I have a bowl too?" Len asked, leaning forward on his elbows. Rin turned to snap something at him like "Get it yourself" but the look on his face made her pause. The colour was drained, his eyes looking at her in a fearful way...Like he'd seen a ghost.

"U-uhm...sure Len. I'll get it for you." Rin smiled at him and patted his flaxen hair as she passed back into the kitchen. What was that about? Len's expression had troubled her greatly and she ran through several reasons why as she ladeled another bowl of soup. Did it have something to do with whatever was on TV? She had noticed how it had gone to the test screen before someone had switched it off. What kind of broadcast was it?

Waltzing back into the living room, Rin handed Len his bowl before sitting next to him on the couch. Yuki was down to the last bits of her soup, looking better already. Good. Miku looked relived as well.

The four of them suddenly looked up as someone outside the front door was shouting and banging against it. Luka, coming from the hallway, snapped her phone shut and walked quickly to the door, peering through the peep-hole before unlocking the deadbolt. As soon as it was unlocked, the door flew open revealing several terrified looking individuals. Two of which were carrying a third on their arms. Neru. The blonde teen looked to be limping and the side of her T-shirt, and leg of her jeans were bloody and ripped.

Meiko and Gumi carried the girl over to one of the chairs in the living room, and sat her down gently, but still causing several hisses of pain. Kaito frantically locked the door behind him.

"What happened?" Miku asked in a panic tone as she approached the yellow eyed female. Neru smirked and waved one of her hands.

"Ah, it's nothin' to worry about." She said. Miku's brows furrowed, and Rin and Len shared a troubled look.

"Two of those things like Hiyama took bites out of her..." Meiko said, giving Neru a look. The blonde rolled her eyes with a huff. Wasn't a big deal. Just a little stinging. Nothing like Yuki's bite where her whole shoulder had been threatened to come out. The only problem was that her leg was feeling a little numb. Probably something that would pass eventually.

"What are you doing?" Luka asked her violet haired boyfriend as he and Kaito pushed the dining room table into the entrance hall and blocked the front door. He pushed his bangs out of his face and turned to look at her, and it was then she noticed how all of them appeared. Their clothes ripped in places, all of them a bit out of breath as if they'd been running, their hair frumbled and in Gakupo and Neru's cases, falling out of the hair ties.

"We can't let them get inside." He answered.

"What happened out there?" Luka asked, lowering her voice. Gakupo, catching this hint to keep the conversation private, took her to the side.

"After we left the park, we found the car had been stolen. Someone must have hotwired it...I dunno...So we had to run here. And I do mean run. Those things...things like Hiyama...they were everywhere, _eating_ people," he made a face as he said this and ran his fingers nervously through his bangs, "We barely got through them to get here. It's not safe outside Lu-chan. It's better if we stay in here."

"But Yuki...I think something is really wrong." Luka whispered looking toward the little girl on the sofa. By the way the others were leaned in, she could tell that they were relaying the danger outside.

"We just have to make due. I won't let you step foot outside with those things running around." Gakupo's face became very serious, and Luka sighed, but nodded.

"Kamui-san?"

Gakupo turned sharply at the call of his name to find Yuki looking right at him. He softenned his expression as he faced her.

"Yes, Yuki-chan?" He replied.

"What happened to Kiyoteru-sensei?" At this innocent question, the purple-haired man's mouth tightened into a straight line. His eyes lowered to face the ground for a moment before looking at Luka. She gave him a quizical look as well. The room had fallen silent as everyone looked at each other, everyone wordlessly knowing what exactly had become of the sensei. All except for Yuki.

"Well...he...we had to...um..." Gakupo stumbled, trying to find the right words to explain what had happened.

* * *

**Hours earlier**

The violet haired male glanced upward to see his pink-haired lover ushering the children into the car and away from danger. Good. It was safer that way. Especially with Hiyama in this sort of state. What on earth could be wrong with him? Is he drunk? High? His pupils weren't dialated, nor did he smell of alchohol. It was like he'd gone completely insane. The other like him too. They were chasing people down in the streets outside the park.

"Kamui. A little help?" Kaito grunted as he continued to fight to keep Kiyoteru pinned to the ground. Gakupo turned his gaze back to the two.

"What should I-?"

"I dunno man, but do it quick! This guy's stronger than he looks." Kaito grabbed a fistfull of brown locks and smashed the young sensei's face into the dirt. It didn't deter him however as he continued to try and snap at whatever was close to him.

"Oh move aside you wimp!" Meiko growled, pushing Gakupo aside. Picking up a bat that one of the twins had left earlier, she twirled in in her hands and readied it just above Kiyoteru's snapping skull.

"Alright, Hiyama. You've got to the count of three to _calm the fuck down_." The brunette female, said with a squint in her brown eyes. Kaito looked up at her with a horrified expression. She wasn't really gonna...?

"One." She counted sharply. Neru, Miki, and Gumi all exchanged fearful looks.

"Meiko-chan, I don't think that's ne-"

"_Two."_ Meiko interupted the violet haired male, causing him to fall silent. Her feet inched closer to the struggling man. He lifted his (now freed) face and with one small lunge, caught one of her boot's shoelaces between his teeth. She shrieked and swiftly kicked his jaw with her free foot. The string dropped from his mouth, and he turned his eyes up toward the young woman who held the bat high over her head.

"Three!"

None of the others expected her to follow through with it. Meiko may be a follower of 'tough love' but she'd never cross the line. The worst thing she'd ever done was hit Kaito in the head with a frying pan when he 'accidently' grabbed her chest. And even that hadn't made him bleed. Just...a little...dazed. So they weren't surprised when she hesitated.

But then in one strong lunge from the man, Kaito lost his grip on him. Turning slightly, the deranged male had a clear shot to sink his teeth into the bluenette's arm.

That is until Meiko bashed his skull in.

With a grunt, Meiko came down with the bat, no longer hesitating now that someone important to her was in danger. The bat made a sickening metallic sound as it broke the bone beneath the flesh of his scalp. Kaito leapt back, landing on the soft, lush carpet of grass as small drops of Kiyoteru's blood hit his face, and clothes. From behind her hunched form, Meiko heard the ringing of someone screaming in her ears. She released a shaky breath before straightening up once more, the bat lose in her palms. She could feel more than see the warm droplets of maroon coloured blood on her hands.

No one moved for a long moment, few pairs of eyes gazing at the limp body with the exposed brain.

"I...he..." Meiko whispered to herself, but having no idea where to go with her words. So caught up in this frustration, she barely noticed when shaky fingers wrapped around her ankle. Her quivering chocolate coloured eyes lowered to see the open-mouthed expression of the man she had allegedly just killed. Her heart hammered in her chest as she followed the bashed skull, to the blood trails leading from it down over his eyes and into his gaping mouth. He gave a loud moan that sounded like it came deep from his chest and Meiko shrieked as she kicked his grip off and backed away.

Gakupo took the initiative now, snatching the bat and delivering several more blows into the man's skull until his face was no longer recognizable and he no longer moved. He nudged the corpse with his foot several times before tossing the dented and blood-soaked bat to the side. Stumbling past the others he picked a napkin from the picnic table and wiped away the blood from his face and hands.

"B-but I...killed him..." Meiko whispered, staring wide eyed at the bat. Kaito pulled himself to his feet and made it a point to stay a far range away from the body as he rounded it.

"Obviously you didn't." Gakupo mumbled.

"But I felt hi-"

"He's dead now. That's all that matters!" Gakupo interupted.

"Dear God...w-what have you done?" Gumi shouted, tears falling from her eyes, "You just _killed _him!"

"I'm aware of what I've done! It's obvious of what would have happened had none of us done anything! Look at what happened to Yuki-chan!" Gakupo replied, stepping toward the girl in a furious voice. Gumi flinched away from him, and his face softened as he realized what he had done. He cursed under his breath and paced back and forth across the park's lawn. In the distance there were sounds of screams and possibly gun fires.

"We've got to get out of here..." Neru said suddenly, flipping open her cellphone and pressing a few buttons.

"What are you-?" Miki began but was silenced by a single gold-painted finger.

"Hey, Rin-chan? It's Neru...Yeah we're alright...Really?...Yeah, we hear them here too...uh-huh...alright. See you soon." With that Neru shut her phone and stuffed it into her vest pocket. All the events of today had been fun up until 10 minutes ago. Why the hell had things had to change? Now there was a dead man in front of them all, and not a one could prove that he had been assulting them.

"Neru-chan?" Miki placed her palm onto the blonde-haired girl's shoulder, which snapped Neru from her thoughts.

"I uh...called Rin-chan. Let them know we're alright. I think we should stick together for awhile." She said the last words after hearing some screaming and gunshots from the nearby city.

"Did she say anything about Yuki-chan?" Kaito asked, his face becoming morphed into concern. Neru bit her glossed bottom lip and nodded.

"She's not any better." She admitted, cupping her hands in front of her chest. Kaito took a deep breath at his answer and nodded.

"I agree with Akita-chan." Gakupo said suddenly, causing the others to look to him. He looked to be re-tying his ponytail, pulling the thick band carefully over the silky strands of rare coloured locks. When finished, he picked up the abandoned bat and let it rest on his shoulder.

"We should stick together for a while. At least until we know what's happening." The way everyone gave each other nervous looks told him that they all agreed to this. Silently, Gakupo dug into the pocket of his jeans and withdrew a set of car keys. He jingled them to catch their attention, and then nodded towards the parking lot.

"Let's go." He mumbled, turning abruptly. The others took up pace behind him, Meiko turning back once or twice to gaze at the dead man she should have murdered with that bat. Why hadn't he died the first time? What had kept him going? It was a mystery to them all.

Once reaching the parking lot, Gakupo was both surprised and angered to realize that someone had stolen his car. Hot wired it probably. Great.

"Looks like we walk." he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Why the heck would someone steal your car?" the irritation was clear in Kaito's tone.

"Probably trying to get away from the rest of those things like Hiyama was. Say what you want, but that guy I hit back there was _not_ Hiyama Kiyoteru." Meiko said, pointing her thumb over her shoulder. The others voiced their agreement.

"Where do you think those things went?" Gumi asked, scouting around for any other people. They seemed to be the only group around, giving the park's parking lot a new eerie feeling of dead silence. Not even the birds were chirping anymore. The sunlight beat down hard on all of them, but it was no longer welcomed as a nice day any longer. It felt as if it should be storming rain, black skies, and cold wind.

But the sun shone, bright, and cheerful, with puffy white clouds surrounding it. Very unsuiting.

"They probably followed people into the city." Miki replied, eyeying the road leading back into the bundles of buildings.

"Probably. Which mean we should be careful while we walk. Now c'mon." Everyone could tell from how he spoke that Gakupo at this point was not a very happy panda. No one had ever seen the samurai angry before, but they didn't want to risk arguing with someone with a black belt. Meiko stuck close to Kaito, and the three girls kept in a tight pack behind Gakupo as they trudged outside the park's gate. Out here the scene was brutal.

There was blood. There were bodies. There were organs scattered across the pavement, and no not the instrument. Livers, kidneys, brains, lungs. It made the squimish pack of girls want to puke. Kaito tried to avoid looking at it altogether. Meiko and Gakupo kept their eyes on the road ahead, though they would wince after having to step over someone's corpse with a giant hole in the side of their face. The brunette even whimpered a bit when she accidently stepped on someone's hand.

The sounds of gunshots and screaming became louder and more distinguished as they neared the city. Mixed in were the sounds of sirens. Firefighters, police, and ambulances. Smoke was seen billowing up from several of the taller buildings.

Their city wasn't large like most cities in Japan. They had a few taller buildings, but they weren't more than three or four stories high. Mostly it was more of a large town with fancier and more modern buildings than most. They had the local park, and several schools around the area. All in all it was a quiet place. Peaceful. Until today of all days.

They walked in silence, growing ever paranoid over little sounds and movements. Gumi had to slap a hand over mouth after she screamed when Neru suddenly sneezed. The events of the day had all of them rather jumpy. The fact that they were the only ones on the road didn't make it better. As they reached nearer to the city, they saw more and more movement coming alive. People running. Dogs chasing after their masters. Cats, squirrels, and even rats scurrying about. As a man tried to run past the group, Kaito grabbed him by the collar.

"Let me go, man, are you crazy?" The man shouted, tugging on the bluenette's wrist. Kaito help tighter.

"What's going on? What's with all the chaos?" He asked and the man in his grasp stilled.

"It's dooms-day in there. There are...I...I think they're corpses...You know like the living dead. They're _eating_ people. The police are going mad trying to kill them. But they _won't die._"

"Doomsday?...Are you telling me that there are _zombies_ walking around?" Gakupo shouted in disbelief.

"How long ago did this start?" Kaito asked, ignoring the other man. Gakupo gave him a hard look from the corner of his blue irises.

"A-about three hours ago...We didn't even see it coming. There was just one attack listed on the news...and then another...and another...and soon it was live reports and people getting sent to the hospital for bites and...I managed to get my wife and kid out in time...I gotta go see if they're alright. So let me go."

With that, Kaito released the man, and he took off running in the direction they had come.

"What now?" Gumi asked.

"We go see about the others." Neru stated as if it were obvious, "We've got to make sure they're alright."

"Agreed." Gakupo grunted, shifting the bat from his shoulder and into his hands. If they were going into the city to get to Luka's home on the other side, they were going to need to be prepared. Especially if what that guy had said. But Gakupo was still skeptical. He'd never believed in ghosts, or vampires, or whatever else didn't have a need to exist. So the living dead walking around didn't seem very plausible to him.

Well...until they reached the city lines.

The place was crawling with chaos. As if the very source of things evil came across the peacefull little city and dubbed it too perfect and poured a whole bucket of blackness onto it...and it's a big bucket.

There were shops with broken windows and doors. Shards of broken glass, papers, random belongings, tattered clothes, yen, chunks of broken boards and cement and even...human bodies littered the streets. Throughout the place there were screaming people running in different directions, confused on which way to go in their panic. Children who'd gotten seperated from their parents wandered around with tear stained, and frightened faces. Stray animals were barking, meowing, or whatever kind of noise they made.

The group took in the horrible sight, the colour draining from their faces. They had to walk through this minefield? This minefield which apparently had the enemy lurking about with maps on how to avoid the mines? That's what it felt like.

"Let's go! Stay close!" Gakupo shouted over his shoulder before he took off running. Kaito quickly grabbed Meiko's hand and followed close behind. The three girls behind them weren't far behind them. The sound of their shoes hitting the pavement were barely heard over the noise of the chaotic city. As they passed through the streets they could spot places on fire, police and amulances racing off with their sirens blaring, and lets not forget horrified citizens. But the most prominent noise...the one that was ringing in every single person's ears that day...was the moaning.

The moans from the groups of walking cannibals roaming the streets at their slow but intimidating pace. Just the sound of it made the hairs on every part of your body stand on end. The moans were deep from the chest, and dragging, and they sounded..._hungry._

As the group of friends rounded another corner, their skin crawled as the sound got louder. Just ahead were a trio of people rounded around a downed citizen, nawing on her flesh and moaning as her blood dripped down their rotting jaws. It was at this point that Gakupo realized he shouldn't be so closed minded. His breath hitched as the trio turned sharply towards the fresh group of victims. They slowly stumbled to their feet, that low gutteral moan dragging from their mouths.

"Shit.." Gakupo cursed as they limped toward them. He readied the bat in his hands and rushed toward them. They needed to get by, and damn it if anyone got hurt because he didn't do anything. But the bat...it was already dented and nearly broken from the violent way he had killed the sensei earlier.

But this needed to be done.

He motioned for the others to follow behind him down the close allyway. The creatures continued their slow and timed pace, only seeing the food set before them that had no way to go but through them. As Gakupo inched closer, one reached out and took hold of his sleeve; the violet haired man was surprised at how much of a vice grip this thing had. It tugged, but Gakupo twirled, taking the thing with him and sent it flying into a nearby garbage can. The other two seemed to have no remorse, or care, or even acknowledgement of their fallen comrade, and it made Gakupo's stomach lurch. He readied the bat and with a round house swing, konked the two enemies head's together. One toppled to it's feet, and the other one steadied, and lunged at the samurai.

"Look out!" Miki shouted over the noise. Gakupo was already a step ahead of her, jabbing the end of the bat (much like a bayonet) into the thing's chest, halting it's attack. With the momentum from the thing's lunge, Gakupo managed to fling it over into the first zombie who had clamored to it's feet. Like a bowling ball it crashed into it, sending both of them to the ground. Gakupo stood over the fallen zombie in front of them, and with one hard swing, bashed in it's skull, clearing the way for the others to run.

"Go! Go now!" Gakupo shouted. He and the other jumped over the destroyed zombie and continued down the ally way. Reaching the mouth, they paused to awe at the sight of hundreds of abandoned cars, plus more signs of horrific debris.

"Get off me you bastards! Let me go!"

"What was that?" Kaito asked, turning toward the ally way from which they had come. It only took a second before Meiko suddenly pointed back.

"They've got Neru!"

Gakupo turned swiftly. The two zombies he had let live now had Neru between them. One zombie held her arms, the other her legs. To their horror, the group watched as the two creatures simultaniously took bites out of her. Neru released a blood-chilling scream as she felt teeth sinking into her waist, and leg. She struggled violently to free herself from the grasps made of iron to no avail. The only time she was dropped was when Gakupo swung his mighty weapon and knocked the zombie holding her arms away. She fell to the ground, only to be picked up again by Miki and Meiko. They tugged her away from the other zombie before Gakupo ridded the world of it's existance.

"Aw...damn that hurts!" Neru hissed. Miki and Meiko propped her up in their arms, working as a team to carry her along as they started off again.

"You'll just have to deal with it a few more minutes until we get to Luka-chan's house." Kaito assured her. They were so close now. Just a few more blocks out of the city and then a five minute run toward the house.

The team was lead by Gakupo and Kaito (who had found himself a small lead pipe), followed by Gumi, and Meiko, Miki, and Neru taking up the end. The two males easily took down the small packs of monsters on their way toward the city limits and were almost relieved when they saw the lights of the townhouses in the distance...

* * *

And here they all were, crowded inside this small living room, with a sickened child and a stubborn Tsundere who were both growing worse the more the clock ticked. Miku stuck close to the little girl, softly petting her now sweaty black locks. Neru was still concious at least, but the numbing in her flesh was almost unbearable.

The television remained stuck on the news network, the group taking in so much violence through the screen. People screaming, people running...people dying.

It was too much for any of them to bear. But it was the importance of the matter. One by one they dropped off like flies as it neared deeper into the night. Rin and Len took to bed in their room. Kaito and Meiko took the guest room, and the rest decided to stay downstairs. Miku couldn't leave Yuki's side when she was near close to dying. She could see it in every shattered breath the girl took. She was going to die. But she wasn't going to die alone. Not like this.

But even so...everyone needed to sleep sometime. But no one...no one...could have guessed the horrors they would wake to in the morning.

* * *

**AN- I'm really enjoying writing this story...which makes me think I'm a little sadistic xD**

By the way, have you noticed how when I posted this story, a lot of zombie stories started popping up? xD  
Nothing bad about it, I love zombie stories! 8D;;;

I just like the feel of the more...classic "Night of the Living Dead" zombie, ya know? ;w;

**THE ZOMBIES ARE COMING!**


	4. Infection

Len took a deep breath and released it as a sigh as he realized that he, once again, was awake. All through the night he had not had a steady sleep. He would fall under for maybe one or two hours and BAM his eyes were open once more. He was never one to toss and turn but the events of the previous day had caused him to be uneasy about lowering his guard. Especially around Rin...

She, on the other hand, was sleeping just fine. He looked to her, lying next to him on the bed, looking like an angel as she slept. He wondered how she could sleep so soundly after yesterday.

The room was dark but the digital clock's red and annoying numbers said that it would be brighter soon enough. This was usually a time where the twins would be rising to go to school, but somehow Len felt it wouldn't be running today. After what he'd seen...the world couldn't fix something like that overnight.

How right he was.

Len was a strategical boy. When things went wrong, he created as many different endings as he could depending on actions, what people said, and how others reacted. He caught himself doing just this and in this situation it might have been for the best. He would never admit to it, but everyone understood that Len was a child genious.

"We can't stay in here forever..." he concluded, voicing his thoughts. The words, mixed with the buzz of the fan beside the bed (and the ceiling fan as well) sounded a bit eerie. From his right side he felt a slight movement, and turned to find Rin looking at him through sleep filled eyes.

"I'm sorry, Rin-chan, did I wake you?" Len asked in a worried tone. Rin took a breath and shook her head, her tangled blonde hair falling in her face.

"No. What about you? Did you randomly wake up again?" She asked him. Len's brows rose in surprise. She knew of his restlessness? But she had been asleep the whole time...hadn't she?

"Please, Len-kun," she chuckled, her voice still hoarse from sleep, "if _you _can't sleep, what makes you think _I_ can?"

" I should have figured as much." Len sighed, turning on his side to face his sister. Instinctively she grabbed his hand in hers and he smiled, returning the grip.

"Do you think...things will be like yesterday?" Rin asked quietly. Len's smile faltered and he avoided looking into her eyes.

"No," he replied, "I think they will be much worse." Rin's expression fell, knowing to trust her brother's instincts. After the day before...things wouldn't be getting better. It seems as if that should be obvious. But this morning - this moment - was so...normal...so...nice. It was hard to believe that any chaos had happened in the last twenty-four hours. Their fingers gently resting against each other, the light breeze the fans provided, the dull light of (very) early morning blocked by the large red curtains.

Rin could very well fall back into a light sleep. Len, however, couldn't shake a feeling that there was something they were missing. Thinking his sister had fallen back asleep, he quietly snuck out of the bed only to hear the ruffle of sheets behind him.

"Where are you going?"

"I'll be right back," he promised her with a smile, "I just want to-"

"Check on Yuki-chan and Neru-chan?" Len didn't even try to express surprise. He'd grown accustomed to Rin finishing his sentences and the vice versa. They were twins after all.

"Yeah." He admited. Rin pushed the comforter off of herself, the cool blast of the fans hitting her bare legs (she was currently dressed in a simple nightgown) and causing her skin to crawl.

"I'm going with you." She said simply, re-taking his hand into her own. Len voiced no objections, nor did he have any. He simply nodded.

Hand in hand the twins departed their bedroom in turn for the upstairs balcony overlooking the living room on the first floor. It appeared that Gumi and Miki had made themselves a spot on the floor. Neru was asleep in the chair she'd been placed in. Luka and Gakupo must have retired the master bedroom, and Yuki was on the couch. The television was no longer playing news broadcasts. Instead it was snow.

Next to the couch knelt Miku. She'd seemed to have caught no sleep at all, tending to the young girl at her side. Her eyes were red..swollen...and tears stained her cheeks. Every few seconds she'd give a small sniffle.

Rin and Len exchanged worried glances before calling out to their big sister.

"Miku-nee?" The tealette below solemly looked up at the two. She smiled a bit before looking back at the girl on the couch. She stroked her raven locks with one hand, the other resting in her own lap.

"She's gone." She said. Len's brows furrowed.

"G...Gone?" He echoed.

"Last night. Around 4:30. She hasn't breathed since then." Miku spoke so softly that for a moment neither twin could accept that what they had heard was true. Yuki was...dead? So quickly? From one bite? How could this happen?

"Wh...B-...I-..." Rin was at a loss for what to say. Tears were quickly building in her eyes and in an attempt to hide them, she threw herself against the chest of her twin. Len wrapped his arms comfortingly around her, but kept his eyes on the girl (her lifeless body) on the couch. It was at this point that he realized what kind of danger they were in now. In one single bite...those things had _killed_ a little girl. With one bite. It wasn't natural infection from the wound...but an infection that came the instant you were bitten. You get bitten...you died. But that meant..

"W-what about Neru-chan?" He asked in a shaky voice. He too was trying to keep his sadness for Yuki in check, but unlike Rin he was better at it.

"She's...building a fever. Not as fast as Yuki's but...I feel she..she..." Miku's words caught in her throat with a choke of her voice. There was no need for her to say it anyway. Even if Neru had a higher immune system...the infection was already taking hold. Pretty soon she'd be...just like Yuki.

"Miku-nee..." Len began but not knowing how to follow. The tealette looked up at him with a stoic expression. Len almost flinched by how...blank it was. It was however understandable. Miku had never dealt with death before...this must have been her way to grieve.

"I think..." Len began again, "I think we shou-"

At that moment he was interupted by a loud moan that sounded as if it were coming from outside. Then there was a loud bang coming from the entry hall. It sounded like someone knocking on the front door. Then another moan followed. The bangs would make Rin flinch everytime, but she refused to lift her face.

"What is that?" Len asked. Miku's attention had also been diverted towards the entrance hallway.

"Sounds like they've found us again." She said.

"Again?"

"Mn...Two or three showed up around 2:00 last night. Miki and Gumi took care of them but I'm afraid we broke your favorite bat." Miku motioned to the dented hunk of metal beside the couch.

"It's only one..." Rin mumbled against his chest.

"But it'll attract others." Len replied. Rin faltered for a moment, and then reluctantly released her brother. He patted her head before walking quickly toward the staircase. Rin and Miku watched, both through teary eyes, as Len picked up the ruined bat beside the couch and headed out of the room. They heard the door creak open, and a loud moan as the predator saw it's food. Then a grunt, and a loud ping of metal. There was a crumpling to the floor and several more grunts as (they assumed) Len based the things skull in. Then the lock on the front door clicked once more and the blonde boy reappeared, driplets of crimson liquid splattered across his white sleep-shirt.

"It's gone. I didn't see any other while I was out there...But I really think it's time to go." He said this as he tossed the bat onto an empty plush chair.

"Go?" Rin echoed, "go where?"

"I don't know...But we can't stay here forever. Pretty soon we'll run out of food...The water will no doubt be shut off, as well as electricity. The front door and windows can't hold _them_ off forever. We need to find a more suitable stronghold. A place where the walls are high...strong. A place that has somewhere we can grow a garden for our food. A place that we can get water without putting ourselves in danger. I don't know much about those things...but I know they want to eat us...and I know they don't stop for anything to get what they want."

As the realization set in, Rin and Miku exchanged worried glances. The blonde upstairs turned on her heel to make her way downstairs and Miku turned her gaze to the girl on the couch.

_Her eyes were open._

"Yuki?" Miku cried as the girl suddenly shot into a sitting position. Len and Miku's eyes widened as the little girl set her eyes on the tealette. Miku's smile of relief faltered then.

_Those eyes..._

The amber eyes of the young girl no longer reflected light or any of the gentle kindess that had once filled them. Instead they were...indifferent. Uncaring. And more importantly _dead_. Just like Kiyoteru. Just like all of them.

From deep within the girl's chest came a gutteral moan that sent the skin of all that heard it crawling. Miku screamed as Yuki reached out and grabbed her shirt, pulling her closer to her opening jaw. The young woman pushed at the thing, keeping it at least at an arms length. But that only made the little monster snap at the skin of her arms.

Miku's scream had awakened everyone in the house. From upstairs both couples were racing out of the bedrooms and downstairs the girl's were quick to snap awake. Rin took action, picking up a poker in front of the fire place, and before Len could even reclaim the busted bat, she had thrust it through Yuki's skull. Everyone, now wide awake, stared in horror at the macabre sight as the little girl fell limp once more. Miku pushed her away, scooting back in her terror until she had bumped into Miki who had been sleeping behind her. Miki quickly set to comforting her.

Len stared wide eyed at the re-dead corpse of the little girl. She'd been dead. She'd been dead but still she came back. As one of those things. The infection...it wasn't just an infection...it was a...a...

"Disease..." He mumbled, causing the others to look at him. Len quickly looked at the bewildered Neru and slowly began to back away from her.

"Len-kun?" She asked, confused by his actions. By this time, Gakupo, Luka, Meiko, and Kaito had all reached the bottom floor.

"What the hell just happened?" Luka shouted.

"Yuki was dead..." Rin mumbled, staring at her hands. Hands she'd killed one of her friends with. Hand that were now stained with blood. "She was dead. She was dead."

"Those things," Len said, catching everyone's attention, "Those things aren't just out to get out...they're...populating." He said the last word as if tasting something horrid. The group exhanged looks, having no idea where the blonde was going with this. Len began to pace, hand covering his mouth. He still kept a considerable distance away from Neru.

"If," He began again, "One of those things were to bite you...I just thought that the bite would only become instantly infected...Causing the death of that person no matter what you did." His eyes turned to the re-dead corpse of Yuki and his shoulders shook. Neru's eyes widened as she gazed at the bandaged wounds on herself.

"But?" Miki spoke.

"But...It seems that things are much worse than I thought. I...I think that...If...you are bitten...T-that the infection theory still stands..but...when you die...it triggers a virus...A virus that will turn you into one of them." He paused now, turned toward everyone with a knowing light in his cerulean eyes. Now as it dawned on them, all eyes turned slowly to Neru, who's skin had turned the colour of snow.

She opened her mouth several times, perhaps to say something, but whatever it was she couldn't force it out.

"What do we do then?" Meiko asked, turning back to Len. He only shook his head and shrugged.

"I don't know. I don't know."

"I'll tell you what we need to do-" Gakupo began but was interupted as Miku held up her hand.

"If you say anything involving getting rid of Neru-chan, then just forget it." She said, "Are we so heartless that we would just throw her out to those things?"

"Then what are we supposed to do?"

"I don't know but we aren't doing anything you're suggesting."

"And what if she turns into one of those things?"

"Len said it only happens after you die. Neru-chan is not going to die!"

"How can you predict such a thing?"

At this point Miku was on her feet, face to face with the violet haired man. Luka reached out and grasped her boyfriend's arm, pulling him back. Miki did the same for Miku.

"Stop fighting!" Everyone turned to the blonde in the armchair. Her golden eyes were hard as stone as she glared at them all, "This is getting us nowhere!"

"Neru-chan..." Miku's face softened.

"If what Len-kun said is true...then...when I die...Make sure I don't come back as one of those things. Promise me." The room was in sickening silence. Each was questioning who would do it. How it would be done. What they would do afterwords. When they would have to do it. Neru's fever was already reaching it's pitch. She'd never show it...But Neru at this point had accumulated quite a high fever. Her head felt light and the room was spinning, and her whole body was numb.

The silence felt so deep. The tension so thick you could cut it with even a spoon. Each was questioning the same thing. How had it come to this? How had they fallen so deep that now it was one of their responsibilities to rid the party of one friend after she...after she _died?_ Who was to be responsible? None of them believed their heart could bare it. Rin, who'd already slain Yuki, still hadn't torn her eyes away from her hands as if they were the worst thing God had ever created. Even as she told herself repeatedly that she had saved Miku from this horrible fate, her heart felt sickened by what she had done. She'd dug a _fireplace poker_ into a little girl's skull. One of her dear friends. She'd done it, and she knew deep down that she'd never forgive herself.

"Alright." If the air was thick in silence, then it was smothering with speech. Len approached the arm chair and placed his palm on top of Neru's, who in turn looked up at him. His expression was..sad. Regretful.

"I...promise." That is how, without even saying so, Len took the responsibility of Neru's death onto his shoulders. He wanted to acknowledge his friend's wishes; he really didn't want do to it, but he didn't want anyone else to have to do it either. Especially Rin. Killing Yuki had merely cracked the surface, but if she also had to dispose of Neru, he feared she may break completely. Miku was alreay chipped by the first death of the child, and he could tell that 'killing' Hiyama had sent Meiko into a slight discomfort with herself.

But he also felt that by the time this was over - if it ever ended - that all of them would have some disgust for themselves that they could never erase. All of them would have innocent blood on their hands. Or what they felt was innocent.

Neru gave the boy a weak smile, and flipped her hand over to gently hold his.

"Thank you, Len-kun." She was slightly flushed, but no one could tell if it was just her, or the fever raging through her body. Her immune system had fought, and fought well, but there was no stopping this aparent virus.

* * *

After the..._mess_...had been cleaned out of the living room, and had been convieniently dumped into the basement, Len helped Neru up the stairs and into his and Rin's bedroom. Sitting in that chair was going to do nothing for her and...she didn't very well want to sleep on the couch where Yuki had been. Not like the bad luck would seep into her or anything...just...a bad feeling. She really didn't want to be around anyone for a while. If she lasted that long.

Len made sure she was comfortable before heading back downstairs. As soon as he was on the couch, Rin was tucked beneath his arm, cuddling as close as she could to him. Len had always been a sort of a safe haven for her. The twins had _always_ been extremely close. They'd never even had an arguement before. If Rin felt like she was in trouble, there was no safer place than cuddled up to her twin. _No safer place._

As they say, she was the princess and he, her knight.

The others were scattered about the living room, no longer having a want to return to sleep. In the kitchen, it sounded as if Luka and Miki were making breakfast. No matter what...they still had to eat something. The television was off, everyone being tired of hearing the constant ring of a busy signal on the blank screen. The cable was gone, and so were the local channels. None so surprising.

"We have to leave." Len said suddenly, gently petting his sister's blonde locks.

"Leave?" Kaito echoed.

"Where will we go?" Gakupo asked. His voice was honestly inquisitive. Not so harsh as he had been. Exhausted and defeated were two words to describe the tone.

"I don't know but...we can't stay in here forever. Not with those things out there. Too dangerous. Too much of a risk, and too little supplies. If worse comes to worse, we are doomed if we stay in this house. After...after Neru-chan...After it, we pack up and go." Len said this firmly, as an order more than a request. No one had any objections.

Now at least...they had a plan.

* * *

**An- And how I love to make Len the smart one. Damn, he's gonna be one bad mofo in this story. :I**


End file.
